


Worth

by mggislife2789



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Brainwashing, Gen, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Kidnapping, Past Brainwashing, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 05:33:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)





	Worth

“Who’s that outside?” Her little sister asked.

Turning around from her place in the kitchen, Y/N glanced out the window and her heart started to race. No. Those were policeman. Why were they here? Maybe my parents are in trouble.

As they knocked on the door, her father told her to take her little sister and hide from the cops because they were bad people. Something told her they weren’t, but the look in her father’s eyes override whatever that something was. That look meant bad things. Doing as he said, she held her little sister and went into another room, feeling the scars on her arm strain at the exertion of picking up her sibling. 

“I’m scared,” Lizzie said.

Y/N combed her sister’s hair backward and whispered soft words of encouragement. “There’s no reason to be scared.” 

She knew she was lying. The palms of her hands were sweating. Her face was flush with fear. Her fingernails were digging so deeply into her skin that her arm had started bleeding. 

“Jonathan Naberhaus, we have a warrant to search the premises,” a man said. His voice was strong and firm. Something about the comfort in it left Y/N on edge. 

Her father’s voice boomed from the front door, the tone in it sending a shiver up her spine. “For what?”

“For Lizzie Dimmick, Charlie Foster, Steven Leon, and Y/N Y/L/N.”

It was like her veins had been flooded with ice water. What had she done? Why was someone looking for her and her brothers and sister? Hugging Lizze tighter, she closed her eyes, shutting them as tightly as she could - so tight that she thought her eyelids would tear from strain. 

Another set of noises made her flinch. She wondered if her brothers were okay. They were in another room. A group of voices she didn’t recognize assaulted her ears, their footsteps increasing the ever-frantic beating of her heart. 

All of a sudden, the door swung open and a man with black hair and a stern but warm face greeted her. “Lizzie? Y/N?” 

Lizzie smiled at him and ran toward him. “Do I get to go home now?” She asked.

The man nodded and passed her little sister along to a brunette woman. “Y/N?” He asked again. When he crouched down, she scooted backward and hugged her knees to her chest. “Y/N, my name is Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. I’m here to take you home.”

“I am home,” she said shakily. Why was he here? I just want my brothers and sister back.

Aaron swallowed against the lump in his throat. “You’re not home, Y/N. Your home is a couple of hours away. Your mom’s name is Charlotte. And your dad’s name is Daniel.” 

Something in her eyes said recognition, so Hotch pulled a picture of the girl’s parents out of his pocket and held it out. “Do you recognize them? They miss you so much.”

I remember them. Why do I remember them? That man has my eyes. If that’s my dad, then who is the man I call father? “My dad’s name is Jonathan,” she said even more shakily than before, not convinced of the words she was saying. “I have a sister and two brothers.”

“They were taken,” Hotch answered. “Just like you.”

Again, she flinched, but for a different reason. That man isn’t my dad. “No one’s looking for me. He said so.”

“That’s not true.” Hotch took another step toward her, careful not to scare her. “Your family and friends have been looking for you for three years.”

\---

“Why would anyone come looking for you?” Father asked.

No one would come looking for me, she thought to herself. No one cares about me. I’m a nobody. That’s why Father came to save me. He said I would have purpose with him. And I do. Lizzie and Charlie and Steven need me. But what about mom and dad? 

“Because my parents miss me,” she said, unable to meet his gaze.

What came next was a loud sound that reverberated off the walls. It was followed by a burning in her cheek. 

“Why would anyone come looking for you?” He asked again. 

I wanted to protest. My parents loved me right? They were going to come and find me? But maybe not. Maybe they were glad to be rid of me. And the little ones need me. 

“No one is looking for me,” she replied. 

A small smile crept its way across his face. “That’s right. No one is looking for you. Why is no one looking for you?”

“Because I’m not worth it.”

“That’s right,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Not to them. But to me and your new brothers and sister, you are everything.”

\---

“I’m not worth looking for,” she said.

Hotch reached his hand out and silently asked her to take it. “You are. For years, your parents have been searching for you. You are their pride and joy and they miss you so much. If you were my daughter, I’d never stop looking for you. And they haven’t either.”

Tears started to fall from her eyes. “He said I’m not worth it. He said my siblings needed me.”

“I know,” Hotch replied. “He lied to you. Your brothers and sister will be going home to their parents too. You’ve all been missed so much.”

For a moment, Y/N couldn’t bring herself to stand up, but eventually the curiosity of what life outside this house was like made her push back up against the wall and stand on her own two feet.

Hotch didn’t want to touch her, having no idea of what she’d been through. “Will you follow me?” He asked softly. “My friend Jennifer and I are going to take you to the doctors to make sure you’re okay and we’ll have your parents meet you there. Okay?”

She nodded, still wary of whether or not this man was telling the truth. “Can I speak to my mom? Before the doctor?”

That is progress Hotch would take. Removing his phone from his pocket, he dialed a number. “Mrs. Y/L/N?”

“Do you have my daughter?” She exclaimed.

After he said yes, he handed the phone to Y/N. “Y/N? Baby?”

Mom. It’s mom. She sounded happy and sad. “Mom?”

“Oh my god, baby! You’re coming home.”


End file.
